(Park City, UT) – January 18th, 2017. My Father’s Tools, an observational Canadian documentary directed by first-time aboriginal filmmaker Heather Condo, is part of the Shorts Selection at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The story, which introduces Condo’s spouse Stephen Jerome, a traditional basket maker, is produced by Wapikoni mobile, a portable studio fully equipped with cutting-edge technology that “travels to” First Nations communities. Weaved in cinema vérité style, the story of My Father’s Tools shows the craftsmanship of the man from the Mi’gmaq aboriginal community of Gesgapegiag in the province of Quebec, Canada. Stephen continues to create traditional baskets to honor his father, and thus finds peace in his studio as he connects with the man who taught him this ancestral art form.Official trailer:https://vimeo.com/195362858 “This is an important story to tell because of the lack of knowledge there is on the tradition of basket making. Our ancestors made baskets for thousands of years. We have not found anyone in Eastern Canada yet that makes these types of baskets. It is extremely important to capture Stephen’s work now for future generations,” says director Heather Condo. Heather Condo was born in Maria, Quebec on October 14, 1971. She was adopted and grew up in Massachusetts. In 2005, Heather moved back to the Aboriginal community of Gesgapegiag where a lot of her family members reside. She has talked about making this film about her partner’s gift for quite some time now. Heather likes hunting, fishing, painting and traveling. Her son Zachary Greenleafencouraged her to make this film with Wapikoni mobile. “The Sundance Film Festival selection contributes to give a voice to the indigenous filmmakers and allows to highlight the patrimonial tradition of basket weaving, which survived the passage of time. The director’s spouse possesses this knowledge inherited from his father, which can now be shared with the world through this film,” adds producer Manon Barbeau, the founder of Wapikoni mobile. My Father’s Tools is playing before the pthe art of the feature film Premiere Look and See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry.

SCREENINGS:

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20th at 11:30AM Egyptian Theatre, Park City, Utah In the presence of team member Patricia Chica (one of Wapikoni mobile’s filmmaker-mentors)

To find out more about My Father’s Tools and hundred of other aboriginal films produced by Wapikoni mobile, please visit the official website www.wapikoni.ca. You can also follow Wapikoni mobile on social media: Twitter: @Wapikoni Facebook: Wapikoni Hashtags: #WapikoniMobile #MyFathersTools #Sundance2017